SCIENCE

FIRST QUARTER
Module 2
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JAYSON P. DARAPIZA │ LAIZA T. VITUG

CAMARIN HIGH SCHOOL

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Describe and relate the distribution of active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters,

and major mountain belts to Plate Tectonic Theory

(S10ES – Ia-j-36.1)
 TO THE LEARNERS

Here are the few tips to better explore the earth using this
module.

Prepare yourself to focus. Go to a place free from any form of distraction.

Prepare your science notebook and ball pen. Take note, your notebook must be
exclusive for Science subject only to avoid using too much time looking for your
lecture if you want to review a lesson.
Read the content of the module starting from the very beginning; do not skip a
single page for you to be guided in understanding the lesson.
Read the instructions very carefully to see the connection of the activity with the
topic discussed in the module.
Using your science notebook, note down the information that is new to you, writing
can enhance your learning.
Answer the pre-test, guide questions in each activity, post-test, and the reflection
part.
You may ask the help of your parent/guardian to check your answers.
Last but not the least, have fun! Enjoy what you are doing. Happy learning!

EXPECTATIONS
At the end of this module, the learners should be able to:

1. recall the characteristics of seismic waves in terms of

speed;
2. explain triangulation method in locating epicenter
of earthquake;
3. locate the earthquake epicenter using the triangulation
method; and
4. plot the active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters and
major mountain belts in a world map.

PRE-TEST
Before you start studying this module, take this simple test
first to find out what you already know about the topics in
this module.

Directions: Read each statement carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on the
blank provided before the number.
__________1. What is the point within the Earth where seismic waves originated?
A. earthquake B. epicenter C. fault D. focus

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__________2. How many seismic stations are needed to locate an earthquake?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
__________3. Which type of seismic wave is recorded first in a seismic station?
A. Love wave B. P- wave C. Rayleigh wave D. S-wave
__________4. Where is the location of active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters, and
major mountain belts?
A. In the middle of the plate C. In the middle of the continent
B. Along the edges of the plates D. Along the edges of the continents
__________5. How earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and major mountain belts
are distributed?
A. The distribution of earthquake epicenters is different from active
volcanoes, and major mountain belts
B. The distribution of earthquake epicenters is the same from active
volcanoes, and major mountain belts
C. The distribution of earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and major
mountain belts are the same to its location
D. The distribution of earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and major
mountain belts are different from its location

L KING BACK
Direction: Decode the picture equations in column A. Look for the decoded words in
column B then find the definition in column C. Write your answer on the blank
provided in the first column.

A B C
Geologic
Answers Picture Equation Definition
Terms

1. a. A. energy
released
_____,_____ Lithosphere
during an earthquake

2. b. Plate B. crack or gap

between two
_____,_____ Boundary
plates
c. Seismic
3.
Wave C. seafloor
_____,_____

D. rigid outer
d.
4. part of the earth,
Continental consisting of the
_____,_____
Crust crust and upper
mantle.
E. thicker and
5. e. Oceanic less dense type
_____,_____ Crust of crust.

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 BRIEF INTRODUCTION
When an earthquake occurs, the energy released travels all throughout the
Earth in the form of seismic waves; it is generated by the movement of tectonic
plates. The energy that reaches the surface of the Earth causes the shaking of the
ground. There are two types of seismic waves, the body wave, and surface wave.
Body wave comes in the form of primary wave (P-wave) and secondary wave (S-
wave), it travels within the Earth. Another type is surface wave, it can only travel on
the surface of the earth, and it arrives after the arrival of the body wave.

Figure 1: Seismic Waves (By:Laiza Vitug)

The point within the earth where the release of energy happened is the focus, the
location on the surface of the earth directly above the focus is the epicenter. During
an earthquake, in a seismic station, a seismograph is used to record the motion of the
ground. They are installed in the ground throughout the world and operated as part of
a seismographic network.
The primary wave reaches a seismic station first followed by the secondary wave.
To locate the epicenter of an earthquake, scientists use the difference in the arrival
time of P-wave and S-wave to get the distance of the epicenter from the seismic
) station. Three distances from three different seismic stations are needed to determine
the exact location of the epicenter using a method known as triangulation method.

The Seismic Race

(P-wave and S-wave)
Objective: Recall the characteristics of seismic waves in terms of speed.
Materials: Comics Strip
Procedure: Read and analyze the story “The Seismic Race” to answer the guide
Questions.

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 By: Jayson Darapiza and Laiza Vitug

Guide Questions:
1. What is the difference between P-wave and S-wave in terms of speed?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Why P-wave travels faster than S-wave?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the importance of determining the difference in the arrival time
of P-wave and S-wave?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
 Journey to the Center of the Earthquake
(Locating the epicenter of an earthquake)
Objectives:
1. Explain triangulation method in locating epicenter of earthquake.
2. Locate the earthquake epicenter using the triangulation method.

Materials: Ruler, Compass (If not available use improvised geometry compass using
string), Pencil

Introduction:

Seismologists determine the distance to the earthquake epicenter by multiplying

the difference in the arrival time of P-wave and S-wave in seconds by 8 km/s. To
locate the epicenter of the earthquake, seismologists used the distance data from at
least three different seismic stations, and then draw circles that distance away from
the station. The point where they intersect is the epicenter.

Distance to epicenter

1 Seismograph 1: 1800 km

Seismograph 2: 1250 km
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Seismograph 3: 1200 km 4
3

Figure 2: Triangulation
Method
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu_City#/media/File:Ph_locator_cebu_cebu.png

Procedure:
1. Using the scale (1cm=400 km), convert the distances recorded by the
seismologists in the following seismic stations by multiplying the given distance
in kilometer(km) by the ratio of the scaled value in centimeter(cm) to
kilometer(km)
Example:
Distance of the earthquake to the station = 1800 km
Since for every 1cm=400km,
1640 km x 1cm
400km
= 4.1 cm
( )
Distance of the earthquake to Scaled Distance
Location
the station(km) (cm)
South Caloocan 1640 4.1
Marikina 1600
Muntinlupa 1040
2. Draw a circle around each location using the converted distances from the three
seismic stations. The radius of each circle corresponds to the distance of the
earthquake to the seismic recording station.
 How to use an improvised
geometry compass using
string.
Step 1: Tie a piece of string
low down around a pencil. Hold
the string the length of the
radius away from the pencil
with your finger.

 

Step 2: Hold the string down

against the paper where you
want the center of the circle to
be. Draw around the center
while keeping the string tight
and the pencil upright.

http://stuartmath.weebly.com/geo
metry-a-make-a-homemade-
geometry-
compass.html?fbclid=IwAR0pYq
h791aH2cCn6dWyNHzLS1HXn_
zKB094phE80fdgp4lvMltMhyX
 wYng

1cm = 400 km

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Metro_manila_map.png

Figure 3: Map of Metro Manila

3. After you have drawn all the three circles, the point of intersection of the three
circles is the epicenter. 5
Guide Questions:
1. Where is the location of the earthquake?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you call the method that you used to locate the earthquake epicenter?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What do you call the location of the earthquake that you have identified using
triangulation method?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the importance of determining the location of the earthquake epicenter?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

The Wandering Earthquake

(LocatingAMountain Range and Active Volcanoes)
Objective: Plot the active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters and major mountain belts
in a world map.
Materials: comics strip, world map, map of plate boundaries, colored pencil/marker
Procedure:
1. Read and analyze the story of the wandering earthquake to answer the guide
questions.
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By: Jayson Darapiza and Laiza Vitug

Guide questions:
1.1 Describe the location of the following:
a. Earthquake epicenters _____________________________________________
b. Active Volcanoes ___________________________________________________
c. Major Mountain Belts_______________________________________________
1.2 Is there a place on Earth that is earthquake free? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________
1.3 Compare the location of earthquake epicenters to the location of active
volcanoes and major mountain belts.
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Refer to Table1 for the actual location of earthquake epicenters, active
volcanoes and major mountain belts (mountain range).

Table 1: Location of Earthquake epicenters, Active Volcanoes,

and Major Mountain Belts
 Major Earthquakes Latitude Longitude
Location
1 Chile 38.14°S 73.41°W
2 Southern Alaska 60.91°N 147.34°W
3 Northern Sumatra 3.30°N 95.98°E
4 Japan 38.30°N 142.37°E
5 Russia 52.62°N 159.78°E
6 Chile 36.12°S 72.90°W
7 Ecuador 0.96°N 79.37°W
8 Alaska 51.25°N 178.72°E
9 India 28.36°N 96.45°E
10 Indonesia 2.33°N 93.06°E
Active Volcanoes
Location Latitude Longitude
1 Columbia (Mt. Nevado del Ruiz) 4.88° N 75.37° W
2 Guatemala (Mt. Santa Maria) 10.46°N 91.55° W
3 Indonesia (Mt. Kelut -Kelud) 7.55° S 112.88° E
4 Mexico (Mt. Chichonal -El Chichon) 17.36° N 93.23° W
5 Papua New Guinea (Mt. Lamington) 5.56° S 148.09° S
6 Indonesia (Mt. Agung) 8.34° S 115.50° E
7 Philippines (Mt. Pinatubo) 15.13° N 120.35° E
8 New Zealand (Mt. Ruapehu) 39.28° S 175.57° E
9 Japan (Mt. Torishima) 30.48° N 140.30° E
10 Ecuador (Mt. Tungurahua) 1.47° S 78.48° W

Mountain Belts (Ranges)

Location Latitude Longitude
1 Asia (Himalayas) 27° N 86° E
2 South America (Mt. Andes) 32° S 70° W
3 Europe (The Alps) 46.89° N 9.66° E
3 Asia and Europe (The Urals) 60° N 60° E
4 Australia(The Great Dividing Range) 36° S 148° E
5 North America (The Rocky Mountain) 39° N 106° W
6 North America(The Appalachians) 40° N 78° W
7 Africa (Southern Great Escarpment) 29° S 29° E
8 Antarctica(Transantarctic Mountains) 34° S 166° E
Source:https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/20-largest-earthquakes-world?qt-
science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objectshttps://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=221101, https://latitude.to/
https://www.britannica.com/science/mountain-landform/Major-mountain-belts-of-the-world

3. Use a world map to determine the actual location of the characters (earthquake,
volcanoes, and mountain belt).

4. Using the blank world map below (see Figure 4), plot the location of earthquake
epicenters, mountain belts and active volcanoes. Mark the location of major
earthquakes, active volcanoes, and mountain belts use black for earthquakes,
red for volcanoes and blue for mountain belts.
 https://cnx.org/contents/_tobQRAG@1.1:Z96T7r0d@1/Map-projections
Figure 4: Blank World Map

5. Refer to the map of tectonic plate below for the location of plate boundaries.

https://kids.britannica.com/students/assembly/view/143478

Figure 5: Plate Boundaries

REMEMBER
Hello there! Please do remember your lesson  8
do remember me!
Earthquake is the sudden movement of the earth’s crust; it
travels in the form of seismic waves. There are two types of seismic waves, the body
waves and the surface waves. P-waves and S- waves are body waves used by the
scientists to determine the distance of the earthquake to the seismic station. Since S-
waves cannot travel through the liquid layer of the earth it causes a delay in its
arrival time to the seismic station, P-waves reaches the seismic station first. To
compute for the distance of the earthquake to a seismic station scientist uses the
difference in the arrival time of P-wave and S-wave in seconds by multiplying it to 8
kilometers per second (km/s). After obtaining the distance of the earthquake from
at least three different seismic stations, the earthquake epicenter is determined using
triangulation method. Earthquake epicenters are scattered everywhere unlike
active volcanoes and mountain belts (mountain range) that can only be found
along the edges of the plates.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Color my World!
Directions: Apply the color indicated below which correspond to
the definition of the terms found in the illustration that represents
the earth. If coloring materials are not available you may simply
write the corresponding color; say blue, yellow, violet and so on.
Blue – sudden movement of the earth’s crust.
Yellow - region on the surface of the earth directly above the origin of the earthquake
Violet - region within the earth where the earthquake originated
Brown- is any physical feature of the earth’s surface that is formed by a geologic
process.
Green – also known as mountain belts.
Red – type of body wave that moves faster than the secondary wave (s-wave)
Orange – type of body wave that cannot travel through the liquid layer of the earth.
Pink – a method to determine the location of the earthquake using the distance of the
epicenter from three different seismic stations.

By: Laiza Vitug

You have made it to the final part of this
POST-TEST module. Answer the post test. Good Luck!  9

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer on the blank provided before each
number.
_______1. What is needed to determine the distance of the epicenter from a seismic
station?
A. The arrival time of P-wave and S-wave
B. The difference in the arrival time of P-wave and S-wave
C. The arrival time of P-wave and S-wave from 3 different seismic stations
D. The difference in the arrival time of P-wave and S-wave from three
different seismic stations
_______2. What point on the surface of the earth that lies directly above the origin of
the earthquake?
A. epicenter B. focus C. mountain belt D. volcano
_______3. What do you call the series of mountains that lie along the same plate
boundary?
A. epicenter B. focus C. mountain belt D. volcanic arc
_______4. What type of body wave cannot travel through the liquid layer of the earth?
A. P-wave B. Seismic wave C. Surface wave D. S-wave
_______5. What is needed to determine the epicenter of an earthquake?
A. The arrival time of P-wave and S-wave
B. The distance of the epicenter from a seismic station
C. The difference in the arrival time of P-wave and S-wave
D. The distance of the epicenter from three different seismic stations

REFLECTION It’ s time to reflect! Let us see what you

learned by answering the question based
on what you know before and after using
this module.

Thinking out of the Box: Before & After

What is the importance of knowing the location of the

earthquake epicenter, active volcanoes and mountain belts?

OUT OF THE BOX

IN THE BOX
Before:
I used to think
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
After:
Now, I realized
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Congratulations in doing your task well! 

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